The BlueBirdCam Story

Update April 28, 2008
A small drama erupted at the BluebirdCam site this week when something (possibly a dog or deer) knocked down the camera cable-support post. The miniature, ceiling-mounted camera was pulled out of its fixture and left wedged on the floor of the box. Thanks to the miracle of duct-tape, the camera and cable are once again supported and in place. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists were called in and observed numerous tree swallows zipping and diving over the Wolf Haven/bluebird cam site, we encouraged to observe a pair of bluebirds watching from a nearby oak sapling. As many viewers know, tree swallows are one of the bluebirds’ main competitors for tree-cavity or nest box property. Which species will win rights to the little nest box this year? Will successful breeding take place? Stay tuned, as the time for claiming residency approaches!

The recent sighting of a bluebird pair is a hopeful sign for this year’s cam. As swallows have ousted the bluebirds in years past, the W.D.F.W. and project partners are discussing plans to build additional swallow nesting boxes near the bluebird site, in hopes to reduce nest competition. Stay tuned, as this season is just beginning!

The bluebirdcam is part of a much larger habitat effort -- Project Bluebird www.ProjectBluebird.org that has reached hundreds of students, teachers, local residents and other landowners in the South Puget Sound. Project participants are involved in habitat restoration, bluebird box design, construction, installation and monitoring - all necessary steps to help recover the western blue bird and its habitat.

Project partners include: Pacific Education Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Wolf Haven, Black Hills Audubon Society, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Washington Department of Natural Resources.

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BlueBirdCam Streaming Videos
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Bluebird in nest with eggs

The Prescott Bluebird Recovery Project

Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Western Bluebird

Riverside Lakes Bluebird Project